Airbag modules have been employed in a variety of ways in motor vehicles to protect vehicle occupants in the event of rapid deceleration or collision. It has come to be recognized that in addition to the modules conventionally disposed within the steering wheel or behind the passenger instrument panel, it is important to employ side airbags mounted in close proximity to the vehicle occupant, as, for example, in vehicle doors or passenger seats. One location for the side airbag that has come to be favored is to be mounted on an internal frame of a vehicle seat.
One problem that has occurred in the construction of an airbag system is that deployment is usually accomplished through a frangible seam in the seat between the front and side panels of the seat back. In such case, that is, where the side impact airbag module is mounted some distance from the finish surface of the seat, deployment consistency and location become difficult. Accordingly, to accomplish the effective use of such side impact airbags so as adequately to protect the vehicle occupants, it is extremely important for the airbag deployment to be consistent at a predetermined location on the seat surface.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an extremely simplified arrangement by which an airbag module is contained prior to its deployment.
Another primary object is to produce consistent airbag deployment at a precise location.
Another object is to provide that the container or cover member by its strong construction insures that the airbag is deployed in a well-defined pathway to its destination.
A further object is to provide that at its destination the airbag encounters an integral portion of the cover member which serves as a door to open responsive to the movement of the airbag against it.